I’m a Gen X baby. On weekends I’d leave the house in the morning to hang out with friends and came home when the streetlights came on. We rode our bikes for miles exploring places we were told to stay away from. Or we would let our geek flag fly hanging out at the local mall and the arcades.
That’s right, before the original Atari 2600 home gaming
system became popular, most of us were hanging out at malls. They had massive
arcades inside them. These were the days when games like Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man,
Donkey Kong, Galaga, Street Fighter II, Mortal Kombat, Frogger, Super Mario
Brothers, Space Invaders and others ruled the school.
And all the different pinball machines. It was loud; full of
blinking lights and a cacophony of bleeps, bloops, and digitized sound effects.
All you needed was a stack of quarters. You played until you ran out of money
and still stayed to watch your friends play their games.
I’m 60 now and haven’t played an arcade game or pinball
machine in probably 40 years, until last week. I finally visited the Classic
Arcade and Pinball Museum on Broad Street. I’ve been in Chattanooga for six
years now, why did I wait so long to visit this place?
For adults, you pay a $20 entrance fee. Inside you’re
immediately transported back in time. And you don’t just get to view the
amazing pinball machine and games, some dating back to the early 1970s, you get
to play them. That’s right, your admission allows you to play as many machines
as many times as you want. Plus, you get a wristband which allows you to leave,
grab a meal nearby, and come back as often as you want for your admission day.
FUEL FIRST
It was a rainy, nasty looking day when I decided to visit
the museum. Weekdays the museum opens at 1 p.m. so I stopped into Maple Street
Biscuits, right next door, to fuel up with their Five & Dime Biscuit. Fried
chicken, bacon, cheddar cheese, smothered in their spicy sausage gravy all
stuffed between their delicious house made biscuit. Heaven in a biscuit doesn’t
even begin to explain just how great this meal was. Maple Street Biscuit is a
breakfast / lunch spot and closes at 2 p.m. Other food spots within walking
distance are Five Guys Burgers and Fries, Lupi’s Pizza, Big Chicken and many
more.
PLAY NEXT
I was the first person to enter at 1 p.m. The machines were
on, but everything was quiet. General Manager Logan Lee put on my wristband and
asked if it was my first time to the museum.
“It is,” I replied.
He said it was okay to take photos and that I could play
every machine in the place. I walked around, taking everything in. The pinball
machines had placards indicating the year it was released, how popular they
were and who made them. I walked toward the back of the building. That’s where
most of the arcade games are. I walked up to Frogger, pushed the start button
and started playing. It’s amazing how quickly it was coming back to me. I was
surprised how well I was doing. Once the game was over, I stopped for a second
to listen. The place was lit up, buzzing with movement and pinball lights.
About 15 people on various machines, Love Rollercoaster by the Ohio Players was
blaring out of the speakers hanging on the walls. Suddenly I was thrust back in
time to the days we hung out at Dadeland Mall, in Miami.
I wondered if I could reclaim my crown as the Queen of
Galaga. I found the game in the arcade room, pushed the start button and
started playing. I started firing away at the descending alien ships, moving
left to right avoiding their missiles. I avoided being bombed. Stage one
complete. Stage two mastered. Challenge sequence. Stage three done. I was
unstoppable until suddenly I wasn’t and GAME OVER.
Then the screen flashed...I was the TOP SCORER for the day!
Still the queen!
I played a few more times, went back to Frogger, then Ms.
Pac-Man, and Centipede. I walked up to one of the older pinball machines. It
was made by Bally’s Manufacturing in 1977 and had those bumpers that made that
boing sound each time the ball bounced off it. This is how I remembered
pinball. Then I found another pinball machine from 1996 with my favorite B
movies emcee – Elvira Mistress of the Dark. If the ball went into the coffin
the whole machine lit up. Red, green, blue, yellow. Then it spit out two balls
bringing double the action and points.
Suddenly, it was two hours later. As I prepared to leave, I
asked Lee how the museum came to be. He said they opened in 2018 and that all
the machines were from one private collector. He said there were 60 more
machines in the basement and they periodically rotate machines. He said the
machines are constantly maintained. You could tell. The machines were in
pristine condition. As I walked out the door, he reminded me that I could come
back until closing time at 9 p.m.
For two hours I was transported back 40 years. If you
enjoyed the arcade games from the past or even if you’re a current streaming
gamer, this place is a must visit. Seriously make a day of it. Eat beforehand,
play some games. Visit Rocket Fizz candy shop next door, go back and play more
games. Grab some Bobba tea also within a few feet of the museum, go back and
play more. Finish the day by getting Moon Pies at Life is Good Chattanooga two
doors down from the museum.
Classic Arcade and Pinball Museum
409 Broad Street
Chattanooga, TN 37402
(423) 541-4097
https://www.chattanoogapinballmuseum.com/
Comments
Post a Comment